“I actually have no idea where people are ranked right now,” said Moyse, a 31-year-old from Summerside, P.E.I. “It’s irrelevant to our job.”

“I know Erin’s in second, only because I had to high-five her in the (leader’s) box, but that’s it,” added Humphries, a 24-year-old Calgarian. “My runs overall were OK. There’s definitely room for improvement. I screwed up some corners at the top.”

The pair could not have looked and sounded more focused doing the media rounds. They are on a mission to win gold. And their stories are intertwined.

Humphries, then a brakeman, missed out on her Turin Olympic dream in 2006 because Moyse, a national team rugby player, parachuted in and won the right to push Upperton.

Moyse and Upperton went on to finish fourth by an agonizing 5/100ths of a second.

The two have developed an impressive chemistry. In eight World Cup races this season, the pair broke six start records and tied two others. They hit the podium four times, including a win in Altenberg, Germany.

Humphries said a key Wednesday night is to continue to rein in her penchant for overdriving.

“Coaches will always joke, ‘Don’t drive it like a tractor, no John Deere driving, drive it like a Ferrari,’ and I’ve been working on that all year,” she said.

Upperton, 30, had only one podium finish this season — a second place in Altenberg, Germany — and that was with Jenny Ciochetti on brakes.

Brown, a 29-year-old from Scarborough, Ont., beat out Ciochetti for the Olympic spot and both she and Upperton flashed wrist bands with a message of support for Ciochetti to cameras in the finish area.

Their second run of 53.12 was the third-quickest on the night.

“We are closer to the field than we have been all year,” said Upperton. “If we have two runs tomorrow like we did today, I will be really happy.”

The North American sleds are looking to put a dent in Germany’s dominance at the Whistler Sliding Centre, where the European powerhouse has won nine of 18 medals across luge, skeleton and bobsled.

Pac, 29, was the surprise of the night, out-performing her higher- profile compatriot Shauna Rohbock in USA 1. Rohbock, the Turin silver medallist, is sixth, 0.89 seconds off the leaders. Reigning world champion Nicola Minichiello of Great Britain is well back in 10th. Pac has never finished better than third on the World Cup circuit, but one of those results came in Whistler at last season’s World Cup event.

Track officials made what drivers called minor changes to the track over the last two days, chipping away ice through corners 11, 12 and 13 — the latter known as “50-50” — to make it safer.

“There were a few subtle differences,” said Humphries. “I honestly didn’t even know until today doing a track walk that they’d done anything.”